DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VEGAN AND CRUELTY FREE COSMETICS

we open melon, vegan cosmetics and cruelty-free cosmetics do not mean the same thing. There is a little bit of confusion between both labels, since it can be thought that if a product is vegan it is automatically cruelty-free and vice versa, and this is not exactly so.

A vegan cosmetic could have been tested on animals and a cruelty-free cosmetic could contain ingredients of animal origin.

So that you choose with information the products that will be part of your routine and your daily life, in this article we will explain the difference between vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics.

What is Cruelty Free Cosmetics?

We refer to cosmetic cruelty-free when Neither the products nor the ingredients it contains have been tested on animals.

If you were unaware of this practice, we will tell you that many cosmetic brands use rabbits, mice and monkeys to test their products and find out their results or effectiveness. What is considered an act of animal cruelty.

Therefore, the cosmetic cruelty-free is based on the principle that no animal should be tortured in the manufacturing process of any product.

What is Vegan Cosmetics?

A cosmetic is considered vegan when does not contain ingredients of animal origin or derivatives thereof.

An example of an ingredient not considered vegan could be collagen or gelatin, a protein that is usually obtained from the bones and cartilage of animals. Other ingredients of animal origin used in cosmetics are milk, honey or lactic acid.

How to know if a product is Vegan and Cruelty Free?

In the European Union, since 2013 there is a community law that prohibits the sale of products and the use of ingredients tested on animals.

Therefore, if a cosmetic has been manufactured in Europe, we know that it is unlikely that it has been tested on animals, although it is not a 100% guarantee, since many laboratories outsource this practice to remove responsibilities.

In countries like United States, animal testing is not required but is allowed. In others like China, is Mandatory animal testing to be able to market the products in the country.

Good news is that from May 1, 2021, so-called "general cosmetics" such as soaps, toothpaste or gels, imported into China are exempt from animal testing. Brands must provide GMP certificates and a safety assessment of the products.


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To be clearer if a product is cruelty-free and vegan, there are certifications that guarantee that companies do not test on animals and do not use ingredients of animal origin.

But sometimes it can be a bit difficult to find the labeling, so we recommend apps like INCI Beauty where you can scan the products that you are going to use and the application scores it based on whether or not its components are acceptable.

Cruelty Free certifications and guarantee seals

PETA Cruelty-free

This certificate is the less demanding with companies. In order to use this certificate in their products, companies pay a fixed amount and sign a statement agreeing not to test on animals.

Companies are not subject to independent audits so even if they pay and sign this document, there is no guarantee that they will deliver what they promise.

Leaping Bunny 

Internationally recognized program. To obtain this certificate, companies agree not to test on animals, but unlike the PETA cruelty-free Certificate, these companies they have to renew their seal annually and be subject to independent audits that they verify that everything is carried out honestly.

Choose Cruelty free (CCF)

This label is not as well known in Europe, but it is in Australia and it is as demanding as Leaping Bunny. Among its requirements to obtain the certificate, the fact that both the company requesting the certificate and the rest of its subsidiaries must be certified as cruelty-free stand out.

The accreditation is regularly verified to ensure that the requirements are met.

Vegan guarantee certifications

V-Label

It is the most used certification in Europe and the best known. It guarantees that the product is vegan and not tested on animals.


This certificate applies to cosmetics and food.

The Vegan Society

Like the previous one, it certifies that both cosmetic and food products do not contain ingredients of animal origin.

Certified Vegan and Cruelty Free cosmetics

In order to stop practices such as testing products on animals or using ingredients of animal origin, it is important Do not collaborate with the companies that carry out these actions.

There is an increasing variety of vegan products and cruelty-free, with which as consumers we have a wide variety to choose from and be respectful of animals.

Each small action brings us closer to a lifestyle in which care for our planet and all beings that are an essential part of life prevail.

The marks that are in the store of All Yours are characterized by being natural, cruelty-free and vegan.

We could talk about all of them but for you to start investigating we recommend 3 that are a reference:

Baiobay: cosmética clean beauty, vegan, cruelty-free and certified by Cosmos and Ecocert. Its range of products revolves around Coconut, moisturizing and 100% natural.

On the Wild Side: vegan, cruelty-free and 100% natural. They are characterized by using wild plants in their formulations.

Merme Berlin: vegan and cruelty-free, this brand uses 100% products, without chemicals or synthetics. His philosophy is based on “minimalism in a jar”.